the oklahoma department of civil emergency management after action report

Information Contributors Oklahoma Department of Civil Emergency Management Federal Emergency Management Agency Oklahoma City Fire Department National Weather Service Emergency Medical Se

The Oklahoma Department of Civil Emergency

Management After Action Report Alfred P Murrah Federal Building Bombing

19 April 1995 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Information Contributors

Oklahoma Department of Civil Emergency Management

Federal Emergency Management Agency Oklahoma City Fire Department National Weather Service Emergency Medical Services Authority Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Oklahoma Department of Education Oklahoma Department of Health Oklahoma Department of Human Services Oklahoma State Insurance Fund Board of Medicolegal Investigations - Office of the Chief Medical Examiner

Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services

Oklahoma Military Department Oklahoma Department of Public Safety Oklahoma Department of Transportation Oklahoma Water Resources Board The Daily Oklahoman The Dallas Morning News Government Technology Oklahoma Today Public Safety Communications American Red Cross Salvation Army Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma

Feed the Children Oklahoma Seventh-Day Adventists

Photographs

FEMA Photo Documentation Team FEMA Urban Search & Rescue Team Associated Press World Wide Photos KWTV Channel 9, Oklahoma City Tinker AFB Photo Lab

This publication is printed by the Department of Central Services Central Printing Division as issued by the

Oklahoma Department of Civil Emergency Management One thousand five-hundred copies (1,500) have been prepared and distributed at a cost of $3,750.00 Copies have been deposited with the Publications Clearinghouse of the Oklahoma Department of Libraries

Detailed Summary of Daily Activities

Introduction and Log Entries April 19 - April 25

Log Entries April 26 - May 23

Operational Strengths

Introduction and Major Reasons the Operation Ran Smoothly

Additional Strenghts Observed

Lessons Learned

Major Lessons Learned

Lessons Learned through Response/Recovery Operations

Lessons Learned from Other Agencies

Statistics

Introduction, Summary of Fatalities and Injuries

Exhibits

Exhibit A - Murrah Building Floor Plan

Image of Floors 1 and 2 (73Kb) Image of Floors 3 and 4 (66Kb) Image of Floors 5 and 6 (60Kb) Image of Floors 7 and 8 (59Kb) Image of Floor 9 (37Kb) Exhibit B - Downtown Reference Map (93Kb)

Exhibit C - Governor's Executive Order (115Kb)

Exhibit D - President's Emergency Declaration (91Kb)

Exhibit E - Downtown Map with Response Elements (94Kb)

Exhibit F - Urban Search & Rescue Task Forces (72Kb)

Exhibit G - President's Major Disaster Declaration (68Kb)

Exhibit H - ODCEM Personnel Roster

Exhibit I - Acronyms

The Oklahoma Department of Civil Emergency

Management After Action Report Alfred P Murrah Federal Building Bombing

19 April 1995 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Executive Summary

At 9:02 a.m., Wednesday, April 19, 1995, terrorism struck Oklahoma City, when a bomb exploded in front of the Alfred P Murrah Federal Building The bomb was located within the confines of a 24-foot Ryder rental truck The explosive mixture had been prepared for charge with a detonation cord and pre-positioned, parked parallel, in

a loading lane on the north side of the Murrah Building, near the intersection of N.W 5th Street and Robinson Avenue The force of the explosion was of such magnitude that it destroyed approximately one-third of the Murrah Building The entire north face of the structure was reduced to rubble and each of the nine floors, plus the roof, received extensive damage Contents of the first and second floors were blown against the southern portion of the building, while the third through ninth floors were initially raised by the blast and proceeded to pancake one atop the other at street level When the dust cleared, approximately one-third of the structure was located in a pile of

debris, measuring in some places 35-feet in height and running the length of the

building At the time of the blast, the Murrah Building housed some 600 federal and contract workers, as well as an estimated 250 visitors

Federal agencies housed in the Murrah Building included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Secret Service; the Department of Housing and Urban Development; the Social Security Administration; the U.S Army and U.S Marine Corps recruitment offices; the Veterans

Administration; the General Accounting Office; the Department of Health and Human Services; the Department of Defense; the U.S Customs Service; the Department of Agriculture; the Department of Transportation; and, the General Services

Administration An office of the Federal Employees Credit Union and the "America's Kids" Child Care Development Center were also housed in the building (A floor plan

of the Murrah Building is detailed in Exhibit A) Damage extended throughout

Oklahoma City's downtown, covering an estimated 48-square-block area The

explosion overturned automobiles and numerous vehicles erupted into flames after the blast Extensive structural damage was not limited to the Murrah Building, but also extended to the Regency Tower, a twenty-four story, 273-unit apartment complex, located one block to the west Additionally, directly north of the Murrah Building, the two-story Oklahoma Water Resources Board office building, the six-story, historic, Journal Record Building, and the three-story Athenian Building received heavy

damage Surrounding structures which received the brunt of the explosion included the First Methodist Church and YMCA, to the east; the federal courthouse, to the south; and, the St Joseph's Old Cathedral and Rectory, and U.S Post Office, to the west (see Exhibit B)

The explosion knocked-out primary and back-up phone lines for the Emergency

Medical Services Authority (EMSA), the local ambulance service Subsequently,

9-1-1 was the only communication remaining The first call for medical assistance was received by EMSA at 9:03:25 a.m However, upon hearing the blast, seven emergency medical service (EMS) units responded from EMSA's headquarters (N.W 10th St & Walker Ave.)

First-in fire companies were faced with an overwhelming rescue operation The

closest fire/emergency response units to the scene were at the Oklahoma City Fire Department's Station One, five blocks away Emergency personnel and equipment from this station responded immediately to the bombing site A meeting of the

department's chiefs was in progress at Station One at the time of the explosion They too reacted immediately to the sound of the blast and relocated to each one's

appropriate point of command As personnel and apparatus approached the scene, firefighters encountered debris scattered throughout the streets, covering several

blocks surrounding the Murrah Building Passages had to be cleared to allow entry of responding equipment Additionally, firefighters encountered injured victims fleeing the blast site Realizing that injuries would be numerous, two medical triage areas were quickly established Primary triage and treatment was initially positioned at N.W 6th St and Robinson Ave (with medical command), but was later moved to N.W 5th St and Robinson Avenue Secondary triage and treatment was established at the federal building The injured were staged in these areas awaiting assessment, immediate treatment, and prioritized transportation

Without delay, fire, emergency medical, law enforcement personnel, voluntary

organization workers and many civilians, entered the bombed structure in a massive search and rescue effort In some instances, human chains were formed to

accommodate the safe and rapid removal of victims as they were located A minimum

of two subsequent "bomb scares" forced the evacuation of these personnel The

evacuation of the structure allowed officials to create a controlled perimeter around

the dangerous site Rescue workers were not allowed to re-enter the site until

confirmation was given that no additional explosive devices were located

Immediately following the blast, an Incident Command System (ICS) was quickly established by the Oklahoma City Fire Department, to manage the intensive search and rescue mission The "system" effectively handled the massive influx of resources which included federal, state, local and voluntary agency response personnel and equipment, under the sole command of the Oklahoma City Fire Department The Oklahoma City Police Department handled the traffic and security aspects of the event

in coordination with the Oklahoma County Sheriff, state and federal agencies

At 9:00 a.m on April 19th, Oklahoma Department of Civil Emergency Management (ODCEM) personnel were conducting a planning meeting with state agency liaison officers at the Oklahoma National Guard Military Academy, located at N.E 63rd St and Kelley Avenue The State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) is located in the tunnel between the Sequoyah and Will Rogers Buildings on the State Capitol

Complex The SEOC was constructed in 1963, during the height of the cold war, and designed to withstand the shock of a 20-megaton blast as close as three miles away, coincidentally, the approximate distance to the Murrah Building Even though the explosion was reported to have been felt as far as 30 miles from the site, the first notification to the SEOC came at 9:04 a.m., when personnel at the military academy made contact All SEOC personnel, as well as the state agency liaison officers, were advised to report to the operational area of the center immediately The Disaster

Recovery Manager was issued two hand-held radios and ordered to deploy to the site

by State Director Tom Feuerborn By 9:25 a.m the center was fully operational and Director Feuerborn made the decision to maintain 24-hour operations until further notice State agencies initially represented in the SEOC included the Oklahoma

Department of Public Safety, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, the

Oklahoma Military Department, the Oklahoma Department of Health and the

Oklahoma Department of Education These agencies were shortly supplemented by the National Weather Service, the Civil Air Patrol and the American Red Cross The incident was reported to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Region VI headquarters, in Denton, Texas, at 9:30 a.m Regional Director R.L

"Buddy" Young ordered the immediate activation of the Regional Operations Center (ROC), the regional, federal counterpart to the SEOC

At 9:45 a.m Governor Frank Keating ordered a "State of Emergency" (see Exhibit C) and released from duty all Oklahoma City area, non-essential state personnel as a safety measure Accompanied by their staffs, the Governor and Lieutenant Governor Mary Fallin arrived at the SEOC at 10:05 a.m and received an immediate situation briefing from ODCEM Director Feuerborn For the remainder of the day the Governor alternated his command between the SEOC and the disaster site

By 10:35 a.m Regional Director Young had briefed FEMA headquarters, in

Washington D.C., and organized a group of key staff to accompany him to Oklahoma City FEMA immediately put Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Task Forces from Phoenix, Arizona and Sacramento, California on alert and at 10:55 activated each team for deployment to Oklahoma City

April 19th at the Site

After arriving at the Murrah Building, the Disaster Recovery Manager located the Incident Command Post (ICP) at the intersection of N.W 6th St and Harvey Avenue

He made initial contact with the Incident Commander (IC) and offered all state assets necessary to supplement the response efforts At the time, the most pressing need was

to cordon-off and maintain a secure perimeter around the structure The option of National Guard troops and additional Public Safety Officers was discussed and agreed upon The Recovery Manager attempted to make this request to the SEOC via cellular telephone, but found the effort to be impossible due to an obvious system overload The transmission was completed by means of a hand-held radio

Following this initial communication between the site and the SEOC, the first of at least two bomb scares occurred People began running north from the Murrah

Building, relaying that another bomb had been located Without the ability to either confirm or deny the threat, the IC made the decision to relocate the command post two blocks north to a vacant parking lot on the southwest corner of N.W 8th St and

Harvey Avenue After the relocation of both the Oklahoma City Fire Department Mobile Command Vehicle and the Oklahoma City Police Department Mobile

Command Vehicle, other similar units began arriving in the same parking lot Such units included vehicles representing the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) and the Drug Enforcement

Administration (DEA) Southwestern Bell Telephone Company also parked a truck at this location for the purpose of issuing free-use cellular phones to any and all response personnel They also reported that a temporary "cellular-on-wheels" site was currently being erected to accommodate the high-traffic cellular use in the downtown area

By 10:30 a.m., the State Exercise Training Officer arrived at the ICP to supplement the forward State Emergency Management element Reports from the National

Weather Service predicted a threat of rain by the afternoon and the request was made through the SEOC to have the National Guard erect a tent near the ICP Due to the lack of shelter and the increasing number of emergency personnel and equipment arriving at the confined parking lot, the IC made the decision to once again relocate the ICP The new location selected was directly across the street in the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company's Corporate Headquarters parking lot (S.E corner of N.W 8th St and Harvey Ave.), an option which was given to the IC by company officials

The new location was far more accommodating to emergency personnel as it provided

a larger parking area, a sheltered garage where voluntary agencies and private

organizations could distribute food and store immediate donations, and the office building, itself, which met the sanitary needs of the emergency/relief personnel and later housed the first two US&R Task Forces

Additional mobile command units arriving at the ICP represented the U.S Marshals Service and two vehicles from the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety The

Oklahoma National Guard erected their tent in the parking lot, with assistance from Oklahoma City Public Works, and maintained forward operations from this site

throughout the event Chained-link fencing was placed around the parking lot and access was restricted on Harvey Ave from 8th St south

Through the aid of Oklahoma City officials, the FBI secured a vacant building located

at 11 N.E 6th St to utilize as a command post for the investigative element of the crime The BATF and the DEA joined forces with the FBI in this effort and their respective staff spent the afternoon establishing the operations center, while field operations continued Weldon Kennedy, of the Phoenix, Arizona office of the FBI, was assigned Special Agent-In-Charge of the incident and arrived at the FBI

command post later that evening

The two-man State Emergency Management forward element maintained a walking post which consisted of periodic discussions with Oklahoma City Fire Department, Oklahoma City Police Department and Oklahoma County Emergency Management concerning potential needs in which state resources could be utilized Additionally, constant liaison relationships were maintained with the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, the National Guard and the American Red Cross, to attempt to better coordinate a unified effort Requests from the Oklahoma Medical Examiner's Office were channeled directly through the SEOC, though periodic visits, by the forward element, were made to the temporary morgue, established at the First Methodist

Church Building at the N.E corner of 4th St and Robinson Avenue

By mid-afternoon, the promised precipitation arrived and donated rain gear was issued

by volunteers In fact, by early afternoon, it became increasingly apparent that

donated goods would be a problem for the duration of the event Commercial trailers, pick-ups and other private vehicles began lining-up at the corner of N.W 8th

tractor-St and Harvey Ave., loaded with everything from wheel barrows to football helmets Voluntary organizations began storing items as best they could, but new drop-off locations had to be established rapidly and inventory control became an

overwhelming task It should also be noted that the ICP was not the only location where donated goods were being delivered This added to the overall lack of

donations coordination and represents one of the major deficiencies in the state and local planning effort

Another escalating problem facing the IC was the increasing influx of media

representatives arriving at the scene The decision was made to locate all media

personnel within a vacant parking area, covering approximately one-half a square block, on Harvey Ave between N.W 6th and 7th streets This area was roped-off, with access allowed to credentialed personnel While it was not as close to the Murrah Building as the media would have liked, it did offer an unobstructed view of the

structure Oklahoma City Police and Fire public information specialists provided initial periodic updates to the media and a joint federal, state and local press

conference was scheduled for the following morning at the Civic Center Music Hall's

"Hall of Mirrors", located at 201 Channing Square

Due to the nature of the incident, crime scene standard operating procedures had to be followed and the FBI cordoned-off an inner perimeter around the Murrah Building, allowing access on N.W 5th St at either the Robinson Ave or Harvey Ave

intersection The FBI also began a procedure to create and issue numerical, identification badges to necessary personnel Additionally, Oklahoma City established

photo-a dphoto-ay-pphoto-ass procedure which restricted unphoto-authorized personnel entry to the site

The Oklahoma City Fire Department established a Forward Command Post inside the interior loading dock of the Murrah Building This site was located at the northwest corner of the building, inside the single-story concrete structure which stood alone, yet was in contact with the Murrah Building The Federal Emergency Management

Agency's (FEMA's) Incident SupportTeam (IST) was activated and co-located in the Forward Command Post The IST is a trained and equipped unit of operational

personnel from around the nation, designed to manage and coordinate the site-specific FEMA response mission during catastrophic disasters Equipment, including electrical power, telephones, copiers, tables, chairs, and other necessary items, was immediately brought in to support their efforts

At 3:30 p.m the First Christian Church, N.W 36th St and N Walker Ave., was

established by the State Medical Examiner's Office as the site of the "Family

Assistance Center" (a.k.a "The Compassion Center") Immediate family members received accurate briefings directly from the State Medical Examiner's Office at this location twice daily The Assistance Center provided information, mental health

counseling, and comfort to those who had fallen victim to this event or who either lost

or had missing family members in the building Center support was provided by many organizations, including the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Oklahoma Funeral Directors Association, and many pastors, chaplains, and mental health

professionals throughout the area, state and nation The Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office and the Oklahoma National Guard provided security for the center

The American Red Cross opened a shelter for those displaced by the explosion They also activated the National Disaster Services Human Resources Team to administer large scale disaster assistance to the victims of this incident

With donated goods and appropriate distribution becoming an increasing concern, Red Cross logistics support was provided from warehouses at the ICP and at N.W 5th

St and Harvey Ave., inside the damaged U.S Post Office Other logistics sites were provided by "Feed the Children", an Oklahoma City headquartered relief organization, and the Salvation Army

Feed The Children responded by shipping requested food and disaster supplies out of their local warehouse at 32 N McCormick, in Oklahoma City, by processing newly donated items supplied by the public, by calling corporate contacts with requests for specifically needed items, and by supervising volunteers They also set-up and staffed

an on-site supply center near N.W 5th St and Robinson Ave., where a coordinated effort was established to provide needed items to rescue workers from their

international headquarters at 333 N Meridian and their warehouse

The Oklahoma City Fire Department established their Technical Logistics Center at

225 N.W 6th St., in a covered parking garage

The Oklahoma Restaurant Association had just finished their annual conference when the explosion occurred Subsequently, they quickly established a 24-hour food service operation, at the Myriad Convention Center, to feed all emergency response workers Eventually, the Myriad was established as a center which met the needs of all

personnel responding to the incident Donated clothing, food, equipment and supplies were available on a 24-hour basis Other volunteer and donated services included over-the-counter pharmaceutical and personal hygiene items, hair care, optometric, chiropractic, and podiatric care, and massage therapy AT&T provided free telephone calls home for the US&R Task Forces, complimented by a free mail and parcel

delivery service provided by United Parcel Service The Myriad also housed nine of the 11 US&R Task Forces

Critical Incident Stress Debriefings and mental health services were offered by, but not limited to, professionals from the Oklahoma City Fire and Police Departments, the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, the FBI, the American Red Cross and volunteer private specialists Additionally, crisis hotlines were established throughout the city to meet the needs of the general public

At 4:00 p.m., CST, President Clinton announced that he had signed Emergency

Declaration FEMA-3115-EM-OK (see Exhibit D) This declaration, under provisions contained in Title V ofthe Robert T Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency

Assistance Act (P.L 93-288, as amended), permits the federal government to provide emergency assistance to save lives, protect property, public health & safety, and to

lessen or avert the threat of further damage The declaration was specifically made under the authority of Section 501 (b), which Congress created to allow the President

to provide immediate assistance for an "emergency involving primary federal

responsibilities."

The signing of this declaration not only gave the federal government primary

responsibility to respond to the disaster, but also authorized 100% federal financial reimbursement for all eligible response missions performed by local and state

government It should be noted that even though this declaration provided authority and responsibility to the federal government, the chain of command did not change Oklahoma City Fire Department still controlled the search and rescue mission and the FBI was still in charge of the investigative mission of the federal crime which had been committed

By late afternoon a meeting was held at the ICP between Oklahoma City Police,

Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office, Oklahoma Department of Public Safety,

Oklahoma Military Department and ODCEM to permanently establish an outer

perimeter to the scene Oklahoma City Police requested state support to maintain a hour perimeter encompassing 18 square blocks It was decided the north-south limits would be N.W 8th St and Robert S Kerr Ave., respectively The perimeter was maintained on N Hudson Ave on the west and N Broadway on the east (see Exhibit E) Numbers of personnel from each entity were decided upon and the outer perimeter was immediately established around-the-clock, until further notice Prior to this

24-meeting, outer perimeter control had been maintained by Oklahoma City Police and the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office

The inner perimeter, initially encompassing the Murrah Building and adjacent

damaged structures, which could potentially contain evidence, was secured by the FBI and subsequently reduced as areas were combed and determined free of additional evidence This was accomplished through federal law enforcement manpower and temporary chained-link fencing The square block on which the Murrah Building sat remains secured, by the General Services Administration (GSA), at the date of this report

At the SEOC

When the decision was made at 9:25 a.m to establish 24-hour operations, selected ODCEM staff were sent home, and were required to report to the SEOC for a

midnight to noon shift The ODCEM Chief of Operations also required staff to report

15 minutes prior to each shift for briefing purposes A similar 12-hour-on, 12-hour-off format was established for forward operations, with additional time inserted for

briefing/de-briefing responsibilities State agency liaisons were requested to establish staffing patterns consistent with ODCEM's, to ensure operational continuity

FEMA Regional Director Young and his staff arrived at the SEOC at 2:05 p.m and immediately began coordinating federal operations ODCEM Director Feuerborn received notification from Washington, D.C that FEMA's National Director, James Lee Witt, would arrive in Oklahoma City at approximately 7:30 p.m After a

conference call with Washington and the FBI, FEMA's Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS) was alerted to establish secure satellite communications at the FBI's investigative center Discussion ensued among executives to establish a FEMA

Disaster Field Office (DFO) and to appoint both a Federal and a Defense

The US&R Task Force from Phoenix arrived at approximately 10:45 p.m to meet with command personnel, survey the incident structure, and to conduct a pre-work assessment of the overall situation The Sacramento US&R Task Force arrived at 11:00 p.m These two initial teams were housed at the Southwestern Bell

Headquarters Building An additional nine US&R teams were activated and housed at the Myriad Convention Center

The two ODCEM forward operations personnel were relieved by the Senior

Operations Officer at approximately 11:35 p.m They returned to the SEOC and

briefed the Director, Governor and his staff on continuing operational developments and issues at the site

April 20th and beyond

Following the chaotic series of activities on April 19th, structure and responsibility gradually emerged throughout the response and recovery efforts Strategy meetings at the SEOC were held early every morning between Witt, Feuerborn and their

accompanying personnel Situation reports were developed and distributed daily to both the Governor and the President The FBI held investigative meetings twice daily and all key players briefed the public at press conferences, on a minimum schedule of once per day

Special Agent Kennedy made it clear in his initial April 20th meeting that priorities were as follows: 1 locate any survivors; 2 remove any victims; and, 3 process the crime scene This basic directive helped to avert many potential problems which could have arisen in this unique situation

A Disaster Field Office (DFO) was established at 420 W Main St where state and federal efforts could be unified A request from the IC to establish a Multi-Agency Coordination Center (MACC), where federal and state personnel could support local coordination efforts, was accomplished and created within the confines of the Myriad Convention Center on April 23rd This facility also housed the Joint Information Center, which facilitated the release of all public information

The MACC was reduced in size and transferred to the Oklahoma City 9-1-1 Center, formerly the Oklahoma City Emergency Operations Center (4600 N Martin Luther King Blvd.), on April 27th All coordination of requests for assistance were reverted back to the IC, SEOC and DFO on May 2nd

At the site, the search and rescue mission continued for 17 days A total of 11 US&R Task Forces were activated to support the Oklahoma City Fire Department (see

Exhibit F) The mountain of debris which was deposited on the north face of the

Murrah Building was removed almost entirely by hand, in five-gallon buckets This was done for three reasons: 1 The possibility that a survivor could be located and out

of respect to each fatality and their families; 2 The continuing concern over the

structural integrity of the building, which prevented the use of heavy equipment; and,

3 The control and analysis of each piece of debris removed for evidentiary purposes The operation was also delayed by mother nature During the 17-day mission, rescue workers were subjected to high winds, rain, sleet, lightening and hail on numerous occasions

Shortly after midnight on May 5th, search and rescue operations were determined to

be officially complete It was anticipated at that time that three bodies remained in the rubble Due to the believed location and potential safety hazards, the decision was made to leave the remaining bodies in the rubble until after the implosion of the

structure

Long-term Recovery

On April 26th, the State of Oklahoma requested and received Presidential Major

Disaster Declaration FEMA-1048-DR-OK (see Exhibit G) This declaration activated

a multitude of recovery and relief programs for victims' families, injured, small

business owners and public entities Consistent with this long-term relief effort, the

"Oklahoma City Bombing Disaster Resource Coordination Committee" (RCC),

made-up of government and voluntary agencies and donated funds administrators, was formed to service the unmet needs of victims which were not covered under the

declaration The RCC continues to meet on a weekly basis and to date has distributed over $2 million of donated funds

Pursuant to Presidential Declaration FEMA-1048-DR-OK, a "Recovery Service

Center" (RSC) was officially opened at Shepherd Mall, N.W 23rd St and Villa, on Saturday, April 29th The RSC allowed victims of the disaster an opportunity to visit face-to-face with local, state, federal and voluntary agency representatives who

administered relief programs provided under the declaration As soon as the President signed the declaration on the 26th, the national toll-free teleregistration system was activated for victim registration

The Family Assistance Center (a.k.a The Compassion Center) was officially

transferred to the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse

Services on May 5th and became known as "Project Heartland" A facility for long term mental health services was established in Oklahoma City and designated as the Project Heartland Center, located at 5500 N Western It continues to provide support for survivors, families, rescue workers, and others affected by the disaster

The Alfred P Murrah Building was imploded at 7:02 a.m., Tuesday, May 23rd The three remaining victims were found where predicted

On June 11-13, 125 local, state and federal response partners met in Oklahoma City to discuss the disaster and make recommendations for improved response The

Oklahoma Department of Civil Emergency Management (ODCEM) participated in this review and results of the conference are on file at FEMA's headquarters in

Washington, D.C

From the time of the blast, through the building implosion, Oklahoma City Police received no reports of looting or price gouging Additionally, it should be noted that there was no evidence of individuals attempting to profit from the disaster, i.e., T-shirt and paraphernalia sales, etc For this, all Oklahomans should be commended

Throughout the event, ODCEM utilized a full-time staff of 25 to maintain 24-hour operations (a 4/19/95 Staff Roster is provided in Exhibit H) Since that time, six of the

25 have left the department, yet all should be commended for their determined efforts under extreme conditions

In Closing

The purpose for the production of this document is to provide an overview of the disaster, identifying actions taken, operational strengths and lessons learned The Oklahoma City Bombing is an event which is unique to the state and nation

Throughout the United States, emergency services agencies and organizations are reviewing plans and procedures, based on the Oklahoma disaster Because of this event, our state's personnel and agencies/organizations, which had direct involvement

in the response and recovery missions, have an added responsibility to inform the nation of what happened, what worked and what could have been done better The most important information in this document is located under the section "Lessons Learned" This is not meant to mean lessons learned from the operations outweighed the strengths It simply means that appropriate personnel can learn more from

problems and recommendations than from successes realized through existing

procedures This report is limited to an emergency management perspective From this point of view, we have outlined seven rather generic items which we list as major lessons learned from this event

They are as follows:

1) The "Heartland" of America is no longer isolated from the reaction of

political action groups of either the extreme left or right;

2) The Integrated Emergency Management System (IEMS) works best when all functions are in place;

3) The Federal Response Plan needs to be modified to incorporate the response activities and missions of Federal Law Enforcement Agencies;

4) State and local plans and exercises need to be changed to incorporate

response forces working in and around a crime scene;

5) State and local plans should mirror the Federal and Regional Response Plans with additional emergency support functions added to fit the state and local situation;

6) A need exists for national and regional integrated training between federal, state and local emergency management, fire and law enforcement services, in managing the consequences of terrorism incidents; and,

7) A federal, state and local cooperative partnership is essential for successful response and recovery operations, following a catastrophic disaster

As previously stated, these seven observations serve as merely umbrella headings to many planning and procedural modifications which should be examined by

emergency management organizations at all levels of government, prior to the next

similar event There is no doubt that the response/recovery missions achieved by federal, state, local and voluntary organizations, pursuant to the bombing, should and will be viewed as a successful operation However, if the knowledge and experience gained from this disaster remains docile in the minds of those involved, the

probability of future successful operations will not increase It is for this reason that this report is provided

Much time has passed since the day which will be benchmarked as a period which illustrated the very best and very worst mankind has to offer Consequently, much has been done to honor those who served This is appropriate because actions completed

by these men and women were done so under extraordinary circumstances and

conditions The last survivor of the blast was pulled from the rubble at 10:05 p.m the first day, yet determination and motivation remained high for 16 more days, under less than ideal conditions

However, there is but one fact, alone, which supersedes all others concerning this disaster On the 19th of April, 1995, 168 people lost their lives for no reason This shall never be forgotten

The Oklahoma Department of Civil Emergency

Management After Action Report Alfred P Murrah Federal Building Bombing

19 April 1995 1995 in Oklahoma City,

Oklahoma Detailed Summary of Daily Activity

Daily Summary, Introduction and Log Entries for April 19 09:02 CDT - April 25

The following text is a compilation of significant events and log entries related to the April 19th bombing of the Alfred P Murrah Federal Building This information has

been extracted from the Oklahoma Department of Civil Emergency Management's Emergency Information System (EIS), a computerized emergency management

system utilized at the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) This text identifies only the major developments concerning the disaster It does not identify every action taken and requested at the SEOC Times, where provided, are done so to adequately illustrate the sequence of events which occurred Each is consistent with ODCEM records, though they might not coincide precisely with after-action reports constructed

by other agencies

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 1995

0902 HRS: An explosion occurs in downtown Oklahoma City at the Alfred P Murrah Federal Building Oklahoma City Fire Station One responds

immediately, reacting to the sound Fire, emergency medical, and law

enforcement personnel, American Red Cross Disaster workers, and civilians, enter the bombed structure without delay as they immediately initiate a massive search and rescue effort

0904: The explosion is reported to the Oklahoma Department of Civil

Emergency Management (ODCEM) by staff in the field State agency liaison officers are requested to report to the SEOC immediately

0907: The Oklahoma County Chapter of the American Red Cross responds to the incident, followed shortly by the local Salvation Army unit Each begins immediate services to victims, as well as initial assessment of the situation

0920: The ODCEM Disaster Recovery Manager is dispatched to the scene State agency liaison officers begin arriving at the SEOC

0925: The SEOC is fully operational and State Director Tom Feuerborn orders 24-hour operations until further notice Selected staff are sent home to report for the second shift beginning at 2400 Agencies initially represented in the SEOC include:

o ODCEM

o The Oklahoma Department of Public Safety

o The Oklahoma Military Department

o The Oklahoma Department of Human Services

o The Oklahoma Department of Health

o The Oklahoma Department of Education

o The National Weather Service

o The Civil Air Patrol

0930: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region VI, in Denton, Texas, is notified of the incident and immediately activates the

Regional Operations Center (ROC)

0945: Governor Frank Keating orders a "State of Emergency" and releases all non-essential state employees, in the Oklahoma City area, as a safety measure 1000: The National Weather Service (NWS) reports that weather will

deteriorate over the next six hours

1005: Governor Keating and selected staff arrive at the SEOC and receive an initial situation briefing from Director Feuerborn

1015: ODCEM Forward Operations reports a "bomb scare" at the site, resulting

in the relocation of the Incident Command Post (ICP) to the southwest corner

of N.W 8th St and Harvey Avenue

1030: The ODCEM Exercise Training Officer arrives at the ICP to supplement forward operations

1035: FEMA Regional Director Buddy Young reports to Director Feuerborn that FEMA National Headquarters, in Washington D.C., has been briefed on the situation and Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Task Forces from Phoenix, Arizona and Sacramento, California have been put on alert for immediate

deployment to Oklahoma City

1055: FEMA activates the Phoenix and Sacramento US&R Task Forces and begins organizing a list of additional US&R teams to supplement future efforts

in Oklahoma City Additionally, FEMA activates an Incident Support Team (IST), consisting of response specialists nationwide, to report to Oklahoma City and coordinate the efforts of incoming US&R teams

1100: The FEMA Regional Director and selected staff deploy from Denton, Texas, en route to the SEOC

1115: Due to limited space and approaching weather, the Incident Commander (IC) relocates the ICP to the southeast corner of N.W 8th St and Harvey Ave.,

in the parking lot of Southwestern Bell Telephone's Corporate Headquarters Chained-link fencing is brought in to effectively cordon-off the area

1150: Military medical personnel arrive to supplement the Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) with the triage mission at the site

1200: With the aid of Oklahoma City officials, the Federal Bureau of

Investigation (FBI) secures a building at 11 N.E 6th St to serve as a command post for investigative efforts by law enforcement agencies Weldon Kennedy,

of the Phoenix, Arizona office of the FBI, is named Special Agent-In-Charge and the incident is titled "OK BOMB"

1330: A temporary morgue is established in the First Methodist Church, N.W 4th St and Robinson Avenue

1405: FEMA Regional Director and staff arrive at SEOC A conference call is held with headquarters and FEMA's Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS) is alerted to establish secure satellite communications at the FBI

investigative center The General Services Administration is asked to find adequate office space for the establishment of a Disaster Field Office (DFO) Director Feuerborn is advised that FEMA Director James Lee Witt will be arriving in Oklahoma City at 1930 HRS

1530: The Office of the State Medical Examiner establishes a "Family

Assistance Center" (a.k.a "Compassion Center") at the First Christian Church, N.W 36th St and Walker Avenue Security is provided by the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office and the National Guard

1600: President Clinton announces the signing of Emergency Declaration 3115-EM, which, under provisions of the Robert T Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, permits the federal government to provide emergency assistance to save lives, protect property, public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of further damage The declaration is

specifically declared under the authority of Section 501 (b), which allows the President to provide immediate assistance for an "emergency involving primary federal responsibilities"

1630: Staffing pattern, consisting of Oklahoma City Police, Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office, Department of Public Safety and Oklahoma Military

Department personnel, is established to cordon-off an 18-square-block area on

a 24-hour basis

1700: Director Feuerborn and Lt Governor Fallin brief Oklahoma's

Congressional delegation at the SEOC

1830: The American Red Cross opens a shelter for victims displaced by the explosion Local hospitals report 472 injured and admitted or treated and

released

2010: FEMA Director Witt and staff arrive at the SEOC

2205: The last survivor of the explosion is removed from the rubble

2245: The Phoenix US&R Task Force arrives at the site

2300: The Sacramento US&R Task Force arrives

2335: The ODCEM Forward Operations personnel are relieved at the site and return to the SEOC to brief the State Director, Governor and his staff

THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 1995

0004 HRS: American Red Cross completes survey of area hospitals and reports

702 disaster victims seen

0100: Oklahoma City Fire Department reports completion of their primary search, including all of the Murrah Building still standing, third floor and

above

0200: FEMA MERS arrives to support FBI and other response agencies They locate at the FBI Investigative Headquarters, 11 N.E 6th Street Additionally, a Disaster Mortuary Team (DMORT), provided by Public Health Services,

arrives to support the Medical Examiner's Office

0554: National Weather Service reports improving weather through Friday, with mostly sunny skies

0659: Southwestern Bell Telephone completes the installation of a mobile cellular site in downtown Oklahoma City, to accommodate high-traffic use 0730: Agent Kennedy conducts his first inter-agency staff meeting for law enforcement officers involved in the investigative mission of the disaster He makes it clear that priorities are as follows: 1 locate any survivors; 2 remove any victims; and, 3 process the crime scene

0900: An initial media briefing is held at the Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall's "Hall of Mirrors"

From this point on, daily events will be denoted by a square, rather than a time entry

• Portable X-Ray equipment and trained staff are deployed from University Hospital to the Medical Examiner's Office

• Critical Incident Stress Debriefings (CISDs) are established for rescue workers and Governor Keating announces the implementation of a 24-hour, statewide hotline to provide counseling support for victims and families of those involved

in the bombing

• An evidence collection warehouse is established at 101 N.W 4th Street

• Five hundred fifty (550) body bags arrive from Dallas, Texas and Memphis, Tennessee

• The Myriad Convention Center becomes the designated location to house

additional US&R Teams responding to the disaster The Oklahoma Restaurant Association establishes 24-hour feeding operations, at the Myriad, to

accommodate all rescue workers

• American Red Cross President Elizabeth Dole arrives in Oklahoma City to tour the bomb site and monitor ARC operations

• US&R Task Forces from Virginia Beach, Virginia, and New York City, New York, arrive in Oklahoma City and begin 12-hour, alternating shifts with the Phoenix and Sacramento teams

• Federal Coordinating Officer Dell Greer arrives in Oklahoma City and requests General Services Administration (GSA) support in identifying a location to establish a Disaster Field Office (DFO) Additionally, the following Emergency Support Functions (ESFs), identified in the Federal Response Plan, are

activated for the operation:

o ESF 2 Communications

o ESF 3 Public Works and Engineering

o ESF 4 Firefighting

o ESF 5 Information and Planning

o ESF 6 Mass Care

o ESF 7 Resource Support

o ESF 8 Health and Medical Services

o ESF 9 Urban Search and Rescue

• FEMA requests the Department of Defense (DOD), through appointed Defense Coordinating Officer (DCO) Col Stuart Bornhoft, provide six C-141 Starlifter Transports in support of the operation

• Oklahoma First Lady Cathy Keating announces a Statewide Prayer Service to

be held at 3:00 p.m., Sunday, April 23rd, at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 1995

• The two-man, ODCEM forward operations day team is reduced to one, as the Disaster Recovery Manager assumes his responsibilities as the State

Coordinating Officer of the disaster

• The Oklahoma State Health Department inspects the State Medical Examiner's Office for possible biological contamination and finds M.E procedures

acceptable They also, work with the Oklahoma City Fire Department to

identify a disinfectant which can be sprayed on bodies to control bacteria and odor

• The American Red Cross reports 68 individuals were housed at St Luke's Methodist Church on Thursday night ARC also advises numerous Disaster

Welfare Inquiries have been received Through these inquiries, ARC reports

711 victims accounted for and 167 victims missing

• US&R Task Forces arrive from Montgomery County, Maryland, and Los

Angeles County, California, to support efforts of the four prior teams

• At the request of Oklahoma City, ODCEM and FEMA agree to assist in the establishment of a Multi-Agency Coordination Center (MACC), at the Myriad Convention Center, where local response efforts and resources can be

coordinated Additionally, the decision is made to establish a Joint Information Center (JIC), within the MACC, where public information and media inquiries can be coordinated

• Oklahoma Military Department supports in the transfer of a suspect from Perry, Oklahoma, to Oklahoma City

representatives of the Governor's office

• The MACC, located in the Myriad Convention Center, becomes operational Personnel at the MACC include representatives of Oklahoma City departments, Emergency Medical Services Authority, Oklahoma County Emergency

Management, Forward Operations for ODCEM, FEMA advisors, the National Weather Service, the American Red Cross and technical advisors from the U.S Forestry Service

• The Disaster Field Office (DFO) begins operation at 420 W Main St In this facility both the Federal and State Coordinating Officers locate with their

technical staffs and work the response, long-term recovery and administrative aspects of the disaster Additionally, a Congressional Liaison Office is

established at the DFO to coordinate inquiries from U.S Senators and

Representatives

• The U.S Small Business Administration (SBA) establishes a declaration for disaster damage applications

• The FEMA Donations Coordination Support Team arrives at the DFO

• FEMA's Office of Emergency Information and Public Affairs begin periodic satellite transmissions of pool video shot by US&R team members inside the Murrah Building

• The Regional Operation Center (ROC), in Denton, Texas, closes Future federal resource support will be coordinated through the DFO

• US&R Task Forces from Fairfax County, Virginia, and Metro Dade County, Florida, arrive in Oklahoma City to supplement the efforts of the six previous teams

• The U.S Public Health Service establishes a medical support unit to provide assistance to the Disaster Mortuary Team (DMORT) The Oklahoma City Veterans Administration Hospital is tasked to provide logistical support to the DMORT The DMORT meets with city, county and state health officials

periodically, to provide updates Also, 30 volunteer morticians, from the

Oklahoma Funeral Directors Association, provide support to the DMORT, the Medical Examiner's Office and the Family Assistance Center

• The 61st Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit completes inspection of the bomb site No additional explosive devices are found

SUNDAY, APRIL 23, 1995

• Rescue efforts proceed slowly due to the instability of the Murrah Building Rain, lightening and wind hamper search efforts Secondary searches of

surrounding buildings continue The structural integrity of the federal

courthouse and U.S Post Office are determined to be safe

• An Emergency Survivor Injury Registry is initiated by the Oklahoma Health Department, with assistance provided by the Center for Disease Control The registry assists officials in victim identification and in documenting injuries and any on-going medical needs

• The possibility of bacterial contamination continues to be a concern at the bomb site Five hundred (500) saranex-coated TYVEK suits are ordered,

through FEMA, for use by personnel at the scene

• At the MACC, the Joint Information Center (JIC), consisting of public

information specialists from all levels of government, becomes operational

• FEMA approves "Immediate Needs" crisis counseling funds of $142,350 to assist the state in providing counseling services These funds are transferred to the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse for program administration

• An In-Kind Donations Coordination Team is established at the DFO, consisting

of representatives of FEMA, ODCEM and voluntary organizations The team's functional responsibilities are outlined as follows:

o Process information provided by FEMA's toll-free donations hotline

o Establish a single, coordinated, unmet needs list

o Provide direct communication with the MACC

o Address the management of spontaneous volunteers

o Provide a liaison to the local business community

o Share information concerning warehouse space and current inventory

• The American Red Cross assumes responsibility of the residents of the

Regency Tower, who are currently relocated at the Best Western Trade Winds Motel, E I-40 and Martin Luther King Boulevard The ARC opens a service center at the motel and works with each displaced family on an individual basis

of need

• The 16-person, 54th Quartermaster Graves Registration Unit, from Ft Lee, Virginia, arrives in Oklahoma City to support the Medical Examiner's Office at the temporary morgue, located in the First Methodist Church, N.W 4th St and Robinson Avenue

• More than 40,000 people converge at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds for the Prayer Service, attended by President and Mrs Clinton, Governor and Mrs Keating, and Mayor and Mrs Norick The Reverend Billy Graham provides the inspirational message

• US&R Task Forces from Menlo Park, California, and Puget Sound,

Washington, arrive in Oklahoma City Teams from Sacramento, California, and Phoenix, Arizona, demobilize

• ODCEM and FEMA personnel conduct a preliminary applicant's briefing for Oklahoma City officials, outlining long-term recovery issues and potential funding sources

• A Biohazard Risk Assessment Team completes its one-day site visit to advise

on biological and chemical hazards They relate the appropriate use of

protective equipment and the related health and safety issues to rescue workers

• Structural shifting is detected at the temporary morgue (First Methodist

Church) and the possibility of relocation is discussed The decision is made to have engineers constantly monitor the situation and report if relocation

• The search and rescue mission remains constant, but proceeds slowly due to the massive piles of debris and continuing concern over the structural integrity of the building In many instances the mission is interrupted until additional

shoring measures can be implemented

• Two firefighters sustain injuries while working at the scene One, an Oklahoma City firefighter, is transported to St Anthony's Hospital where he is treated and released The other, a Nichols Hills firefighter, is treated at the scene and

released for duty

• Lt Governor Mary Fallin participates in a Donations Coordination Team

meeting held at the DFO From the meeting, a joint voluntary agency media release is developed reflecting the position that there is no longer a need for mass quantities of goods or volunteers

• Oklahoma City, ODCEM and FEMA staff perform a joint Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) of the affected area surrounding the Murrah Building The purpose of the PDA is to identify specific federal assistance and programs necessary to return the damaged structures and victims as closely as possible to pre-disaster condition

• Specialists from the U.S Army Corps of Engineers supplement efforts

concerning structural integrity and blast damage distribution

• The General Services Administration (GSA) conducts surveys necessary to find temporary and permanent office space for the federal agencies previously

housed in the Murrah Building

• Defense Coordinating Officer Bornhoft coordinates a photographic fly-over of the disaster area to assist in the investigative effort The mission is achieved by

an Oklahoma Air National Guard C-130

• Governor Keating requests the President declare a major disaster for Oklahoma City and provide Federal Individual Assistance in the form of Temporary

Housing, Low-Interest Loans, Disaster Unemployment and Individual and Family Grants A request for Federal Public Assistance (i.e infrastructure damages, emergency labor and materials) will be made at a later date since most of these damages are currently covered under the Presidential Emergency Declaration (FEMA-3115-EM) at a 100% federal share

Daily Summary, Log Entries for April 26 - May 23

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 1995

• The one-week anniversary of the explosion is observed at the site as Governor and Mrs Keating, Lt Governor Fallin and Mayor and Mrs Ron Norick lead the rescue workers in a one-minute moment of silence at exactly 9:02 a.m

• Search and rescue efforts continue with emphasis concentrated on the "pit" area

of the building (central-interior location), where debris is heavy and victims are believed to be located Six US&R Task Forces remain on rotating duty as the New York City and Virginia Beach teams demobilize

• Four firefighters from Midwest City and six from Tinker Air Force Base

provide continuous decontamination support to the rescue workers

• National Guardsmen, provided by the Oklahoma Military Department, initiate

an evidentiary sifting mission through rubble transported to the Oklahoma County Sheriff's gun range This mission is tasked at the request of the FBI

• From previous donations coordinations meetings, a Donations Task Force is identified and an organizational meeting is held at the DFO Represented at the meeting are Lt Governor Fallin, the Federal Coordinating Officer, State

Coordinating Officer, Oklahoma City officials, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, FEMA's donations specialists, the FEMA Voluntary Agency Coordinator, the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, Feed the Children, Adventist Community Services, the Oklahoma Restaurant Association and Americorps The task force is presented with two separate issues to address: 1 Items needed by individuals and families affected by the blast, and the workers supporting them; and, 2 Items needed by individuals and organizations

working within the blast area It is emphasized that the task force is not

challenged with meeting the long-term needs of victims nor the donated funds which have been arriving from around the world, since the explosion

• Two bomb dog teams arrive in Oklahoma City to support the U.S Marshal's Service in providing security at the federal courthouse

• The FBI releases the Regency Tower from the crime scene Inspection of the building is completed and it is found to be structurally sound Approximately

400 people resided in 260 apartment units at the time of the blast Oklahoma City Metro Transit provides transportation to the displaced residents, who are allowed to enter the building and pick-up any essential items or possessions (The Regency Tower residents were allowed to move back in after repairs were made on October 26, 1995)

• President Clinton signs Major Disaster Declaration FEMA-1048-DR, providing individual assistance to eligible applicants in Oklahoma City The national teleregistration number is activated and victims are encouraged to apply The Federal and State Coordinating Officers brief Oklahoma's Congressional

Delegation on this development at the DFO

THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 1995

• Rescue crews are temporarily removed from "the pit" area of the building as a concrete slab shift is detected Engineers evaluate the situation and re-initiate the recovery operation To date, only ten minor injuries have been sustained by rescue workers

• Oklahoma City Public Works officials release their initial survey figures of the damaged area Their assessment shows 312 structures sustaining some damage,

25 buildings with major structural damage and 10 buildings destroyed

• The MACC is down-sized and relocated to the Oklahoma City Emergency Operations Center (EOC), 4600 Martin Luther King Boulevard Emergency Support Function Three (ESF-3: Public Works and Engineering), ESF-9 (Urban Search and Rescue) and the Joint Information Center (JIC) move to the DFO The remaining ESFs and ODCEM Forward Operations move to the Oklahoma City EOC

• Americorps volunteers assist the Donations Coordination Team with warehouse inventory and goods reception at various sites

• Through the aid of ODCEM and the Oklahoma Department of Central

Services, FEMA and GSA locate a site to establish a Recovery Service Center (RSC), where applicants can visit one-on-one with representatives of various programs offering aid The location is in Shepherd Mall, N.W 23rd St and Villa Plans are made to open the RSC Saturday, April 29th, but GSA and SBA immediately relocate to handle administrative functions and assist with

previously disbursed loan applications The American Red Cross makes plans the move their service center to this location and the Oklahoma Baptists plan to establish a child-care facility to aid in the assistance process

• By close of business, 250 individuals have applied for disaster assistance

through FEMA's teleregistration service

FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 1995

• The Menlo Park US&R Task Force completes securing overhead hazards (large concrete slabs) on the north and east sections of the building Crews continue working in "the pit" area, where several more victims are believed to be

located Continued removal of debris, while necessary, is believed to weaken the remaining structure Numerous breaks are taken for constant engineering evaluation and additional shoring efforts

• FEMA Director Witt and his staff meet with Governor Keating and ODCEM Director Feuerborn before departing to Washington, D.C

SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 1995

• Several more victims are recovered from "the pit" area of the building

Additional debris is removed and hanging hazards secured Cracks in two

northern columns of the building are shored with steel banding and epoxy

• The Orange County, California, US&R Task Force arrives in Oklahoma City as the Los Angeles County and Montgomery County teams are demobilized

• Oklahoma City Fire Department disbands the Command Post at the

Southwestern Bell Telephone Building

• The RSC is fully operational at Shepherd Mall with personnel staffed to

represent the following organizations/programs:

FEMA Disaster Housing FEMA/State Individual and Family Grants ODCEM

Oklahoma Employment Security Commission American Red Cross

Oklahoma Department of Human Services/Aging Salvation Army

Department of Area-wide Aging SBA

Federal Employees Education & Assistance Fund Social Security Administration

Veterans Administration Internal Revenue Service Oklahoma County

FEMA/State Public Affairs Oklahoma State Insurance Commission

• A telephone bank is also provided for those who have yet to apply for

assistance through the teleregistration service A total of 23 media outlets visit the RSC during the first day of operation

• Oklahoma Representatives J.C Watts and Frank Lucas are briefed at the DFO and tour the Murrah Building

• The owner, head coach and several members of the Dallas Cowboys football team visit the Myriad Convention Center, Family Assistance Center and area hospitals on a good will mission

demobilized ODCEM Forward Operations remain in the MACC

• The U.S Public Health Service's "Disaster Studies Health Group" begin

collecting documentation concerning patients treated after the explosion

• California Congressman Jerry Lewis is briefed at the DFO and bomb site, and visits Governor Keating and ODCEM Director Feuerborn

MONDAY, MAY 1, 1995

• Operations at the site officially transition to a recovery mission Work is

continued by hand and with the limited use of heavy equipment, but is

suspended several times due to inclement weather conditions

• US&R Task Forces from Fairfax County and Metro Dade County are

demobilized Prior to leaving, the Metro Dade County Team presents the

YMCA with $1,000 to replace damaged playground equipment

TUESDAY, MAY 2, 1995

• Recovery operations concentrate on the "bowl" area, as structural engineers monitor the situation closely for signs of shifting Due to unpredictable spring weather, a growing concern for the safety of the workers and the newly

emphasized recovery mission, operations for the day are limited to an 0600 -

1800 HRS time frame

• US&R Task Forces from Menlo Park and Puget Sound are demobilized,

leaving Orange County as the only team remaining At 1800 HRS the decision

is made to halt all US&R support, but to keep technical specialists on until May

6 to act in an advisory capacity to Oklahoma City Fire Department

• All rescue/recovery efforts are expected to be completed by Friday, May 5, at which time the site will be turned over to the FBI and restricted to investigative personnel only

• The 54th Quartermaster Graves Registration Unit is released

• All Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS) personnel and equipment, except logistical support, are released by 2400 HRS

• The Oklahoma Military Department completes its sifting mission at the

Oklahoma County Sheriff's gun range

• Governor Keating requests the inclusion of Public Assistance (i.e.,

infrastructure damages) in Presidential Major Disaster Declaration 1048-DR-OK

FEMA-• By late afternoon, applications for disaster assistance total 968 Temporary Housing checks issued to date total $408,696 and the Small Business

Administration has distributed 496 loan applications

THURSDAY, MAY 4, 1995:

• Recovery work continues at the site, conducted totally by Oklahoma City Fire Department The General Services Administration (GSA) requests engineering

support to monitor the structure after the rescue/recovery mission is completed Two structural engineers from the U.S Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa

District, assume this mission and relieve engineers currently supporting the recovery operation

• The American Red Cross Family Services, Health Services and Mental Health Divisions form a "compassion team", designed to contact families of the

deceased and all others who were directly victimized by the disaster

FRIDAY, MAY 5, 1995:

• At 0005 HRS the Oklahoma City Fire Department officially halts all recovery operations at the site It is believed that three bodies remain in the rubble, but due to their perceived location, structural engineers feel that the safety factor is too great to pursue their recovery until after the implosion of the building

• Rescue/recovery workers gather at the site for a memorial service, closed to the media

• The FEMA Disaster Mortuary Team (DMORT) completes its mission for the State Medical Examiner's Office and is deactivated

• Responsibility of the Family Assistance Center, at First Christian Church, is transferred to the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance

Abuse Services The center, through federal funding efforts, becomes "Project Heartland", a program designed to meet the long-term needs of victims

("Project Heartland" eventually relocates to 5500 N Western Ave., where it remains at the date of this report.)

• President Clinton approves the inclusion of Public Assistance in Major Disaster Declaration FEMA-1048-DR-OK

• A consortium of 15 religious organizations is established, known as "Interfaith Disaster Recovery of Greater Oklahoma City", to better meet the needs of disaster victims

• The Recovery Service Center reports 889 visitors, to date Individual

Assistance registrations total 1,242 and SBA reports 715 loan applications issued The American Red Cross and the Individual and Family Grant Program are working together to meet the funeral/medical expense needs of victims TUESDAY, MAY 9, 1995:

• After conferring with state and local officials, the General Services

Administration (GSA) determines the best way to raze the remains of the Murrah Building is by implosion GSA proceeds to make arrangements,

contracts and proposes a date for the pending event

• A Federal Building Performance Team arrives in Oklahoma City to study the effects of the blast and make recommendations to mitigate damages from similar events The team is comprised of representatives from FEMA, the U.S Army Corps of Engineers, GSA, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the National Institute of Standards and Technology and support contractors The team is briefed by GSA officials on the status of the structure, but access is prohibited, due to safety factors

• The donations distribution site at the U.S Post Office, northwest corner of N.W 5th and Harvey Ave., is closed

• A Public Assistance Applicants' Briefing is held at the Oklahoma Historical Society Auditorium to educate potential applicants on the intricacies of the federal-state program

• GSA selects the bid of a Maryland-based demolition company to implode the Murrah Building A date has yet to be announced

• The FEMA Voluntary Agency Coordinator holds the first Unmet Needs

Committee meeting with key members from the Voluntary Agencies Active in Disasters (VOAD) group Within a few weeks the group of approximately 20 agencies and funds grows to more than 80 (The group is renamed the

Oklahoma City Bombing Disaster Resource Coordination Committee and continues to meet weekly The committee is continuing to develop a long-term recovery network, in cooperation with the National Association of Social

Workers, Oklahoma Chapter, to constantly address victim, survivor, family and disaster workers' long-term needs Additionally, FEMA, working in

conjunction with the Department of Justice, U.S Attorney's Office, is

continuing the long-term recovery process by identifying issues that could be resolved by federal assistance.)

• The Recovery Service Center reports 655 Disaster Housing applications issued

to verification inspectors with 594 of the inspections completed and processed Disaster Housing payments, to date, total $547,951

of the building can begin

• A meeting, coordinated by the United Way of Oklahoma City, is held for

families who had children at the Murrah Building day-care center Individuals are encouraged to talk with FEMA and voluntary agency representatives about their immediate and long-term needs

TUESDAY, MAY 16, 1995:

• It is determined that at the time of the explosion 260 units of the Regency Tower were occupied, 72 of which still need to be vacated prior to

reconstruction By close of business, only 15 units have items which have yet

to be moved or are under contract to be moved

• Due to decreased activity, representatives from the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, Oklahoma County and Feed the Children relocate from the Recovery Service Center to their appropriate headquarters Arrangements are made with Feed the Children to provide transportation for Regency Tower victims from the Trade Winds and Central Plaza motels to the Recovery

Service Center

WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 1995:

• Recovery activities continue

THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1995:

• A Public Assistance meeting is held between ODCEM, FEMA and the

Oklahoma City YMCA The meeting is designed to determine eligibility of the non-profit organization, however, the YMCA reports it has accepted an

insurance settlement and additional assistance is unnecessary

benefits, etc FEMA is working to correct the malfunction, but asks the

voluntary agencies to proceed in their efforts without the control number

• The Donations Management Team ceases operations at the DFO Future

inquiries/activities will be coordinated through United Way personnel, located

at the Recovery Service Center

precisely where they were believed to be This brings the final death count to

168, including the Oklahoma City nurse who responded to the incident and was mortally wounded when struck in the head by a piece of debris

The Oklahoma Department of Civil Emergency

Management After Action Report Alfred P Murrah Federal Building Bombing

19 April 1995 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Operational Strengths

The operational strengths subsequent to the bombing of the Alfred P Murrah Federal Building are presented herein under the headings: I Major Reasons the Operation Ran Smoothly; and, II Additional Strengths Observed It should be noted that the

response/recovery challenges faced during the Oklahoma City Bombing are unique to any disaster operation the United States has encountered, to date It would be

impossible to document every positive response/recovery effort performed during this tragedy, therefore, only a few, significant strengths are outlined A strong point of emphasis should be noted when reviewing this section and the next, dealing with

lessons learned The response/recovery missions performed during the Oklahoma City Bombing will and should always be considered a "total success" The following

observations are presented for consideration during future operations

I MAJOR REASONS THE OPERATION RAN SMOOTHLY

1 The disaster occurred in Oklahoma City, where there was a strong state and federal government presence

2 The disaster occurred in a jurisdiction which possesses an abundance of emergency resources

3 The intense search and rescue mission was limited to a relatively small,

confined area

4 Damages were limited to a mostly non-residential section of the city

5 Cooperation between local, state and federal government was unparalleled

6 Strong executive leadership and common concerns were displayed at all levels of government

7 Every person involved in the response/recover operation possessed a

personal interest in the event All were victims

8 "THE OKLAHOMA STANDARD" Simply defined, The Oklahoma

Standard represents the greatest asset our state offers "Our People"

II ADDITIONAL STRENGTHS OBSERVED

• Unquestionable responsiveness, teamwork, and caring incurred on the part of all first responders

• The American Red Cross and other voluntary organizations' response was immediate and continues to meet the needs of all those affected by the disaster

• The National Weather Service (NWS) was instrumental in providing timely and accurate weather data to those overseeing the rescue/recovery effort The three-hour, short-term weather forecasts should continue to be a standard, provided

by NWS to the Incident Command Post, during any major emergency/disaster

• Once the Multi-Agency Coordination Center (MACC) was established, a good exchange of information began to evolve between ODCEM Forward

Operations Officers and the Tinker Air Force Base Fire Department, the

Oklahoma National Guard, the Oklahoma City Public Works, the Oklahoma County Emergency Operations Center and their Emergency Management staff, the Oklahoma City Fire Department and the National Weather Service

• Communication support from Cellular One, Southwestern Bell, et al, was

superb

• Unlike many of the agencies at the scene, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol could talk directly with personnel from Oklahoma-based federal agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), FBI and the U.S Marshal's Service They have a pre-determined disaster plan in place, and part of that plan calls for the use of compatible radios and systems A Department of Public Safety technician was able to program radios within 45 minutes The Mobile Command Posts were indispensable for effective on-site communications To coordinate communications among the multiple agencies, the Oklahoma

Highway Patrol used their trunking capability to assign different sub-fleets for different functions to different public-safety agencies, if they were equipped with 800MHz trunking system radios

• Oklahoma City provided adequate space and resources for the establishment of the two Multi-Agency Coordination Centers (MACCs)

• Many officials indicated that city, county, state and federal response procedures for this incident would become a model for the future Urban Search and

Rescue Task Force members commented regularly that they had never been

treated so well before, and that the care and compassion they received while

here had become the standard "The Oklahoma Standard"

• Security procedures were quickly established to limit access to the Incident Command Post area, inner perimeter and outer perimeter

• The Oklahoma City Police Department had an Emergency Response Team (ERT), established two years prior to the incident They have trained monthly and added a new mobile command post to their cadre of response equipment

• Forty-seven ambulance services, 103 ambulance units, and 384 emergency medical personnel participated in the bombing incident Some units were

already in Oklahoma City, transporting patients from their jurisdiction

Subsequently, they stayed to assist, once their patients were delivered to their appropriate destination Other services were called in for mutual aid, to assist in

or take care of the routine calls Others were asked to provide back-up for communities, so that closer ambulances could respond, while others responded

to the numerous media requests for assistance

• A sophisticated piece of equipment used to search for survivors in the Murrah Building was the "Life Detector", a listening device used to locate a conscious person trapped under rubble Search and rescue personnel would then use a bullhorn to instruct victims to tap rhythmically on a large piece of concrete or steel

• Another piece of technology used in the Murrah Building was the "System To Locate Survivors" (STOLS), a specialized search camera system Operators would wear a 21-pound monitor strapped to their chest to view images

transmitted from a probe via a fiber-optic cable The probe, which is two inches

in diameter and carries a camera and microphone on the end, can be extended

up to 79 inches into a structure through bored holes or cracks The camera can

be articulated to allow for up to a 180-degree view The operators wore

headphones to enable them to hear inside the crevice

• The immediate response by Oklahoma City's fire, police and emergency

medical personnel and other area fire, police and emergency medical personnel was phenomenal Personnel and apparatus appeared at a moment's notice, willing to do whatever it took and work as long as it took to achieve the search and rescue mission

• The Oklahoma City Bombing should be viewed as ultimate proof that the

Incident Command System works

• Operational strengths exhibited by ODCEM include the following:

1) Operational personnel responded to the site and made contact with the

IC within the first 30 minutes

2) The SEOC was fully operational with liaison officers in-place within the first hour

3) Back-up communications were in-place and utilized to make initial contact with FEMA

4) Personnel recall was immediate and 24-hour operations were maintained by a full-time staff of 25 for the next 17 days

5) Volunteer resources were established prior to the bombing and utilized to supplement manpower capabilities for the duration of the operation

6) Briefing reports were provided to the Governor at the beginning of each day, outlining the previous 24-hours' developments

7) State personnel exhibited operational flexibility necessary to accommodate Oklahoma City with State resources and to request federal resources, in this unique disaster situation

The Oklahoma Department of Civil Emergency

Management After Action Report Alfred P Murrah Federal Building Bombing

19 April 1995 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Lessons Learned

The lessons learned subsequent to the bombing of the Alfred P Murrah Federal

Building are presented herein under the headings: I Major Lessons Learned; II

Lessons Learned through Response/Recovery Operations; and, III Lessons Learned from Other Agencies A strong point of emphasis is necessary when reviewing the information contained herein Regardless of whether all operations followed current emergency management doctrine, the response phase of this emergency was

performed in a most professional, positive, caring, and safe manner The following observations are presented for consideration during future operations

I MAJOR LESSONS LEARNED

1 The "Heartland" of America is no longer isolated from the reaction of

political action groups of either the extreme left or right

2 The Integrated Emergency Management System (IEMS) works best when all functions are in place

3 The Federal Response Plan needs to be modified to incorporate the response activities and missions of Federal Law Enforcement Agencies

4 State and local plans and exercises need to be changed to incorporate

response forces working in and around a large crime scene

5 State and local plans should mirror the Federal and Regional Response Plans with additional emergency support functions added to fit the State and local situation

6 A need exists for National and Regional integrated training between Federal, State and local emergency management, fire and law enforcement services

7 A Federal, State and local cooperative partnership is essential for successful response and recovery operations following a catastrophic disaster

II LESSONS LEARNED THROUGH RESPONSE/RECOVERY

OPERATIONS

(Lessons learned under this heading will be addressed under the appropriate

Emergency Support Function (ESF), as outlined by the Federal Response Plan.)

A ESF #1 - TRANSPORTATION

Issues covered under "Lessons Learned from other Agencies"

B ESF #2 - COMMUNICATIONS

Statement of Issue 1: Due to the initial chaos following the explosion and

non-emergency services transmissions, communications capabilities from the

disaster site and between response agencies were limited at best

Discussion: During the first 12 to 18 hours after the incident, standard and

cellular phone circuits were overloaded, making it extremely difficult to

communicate by telephone Portable/mobile cellular sites were erected near the incident site to ease the stress on cellular circuits This action in itself made it